Phenelle Segal to Present on COVID-19's Impact on ASCs

ICCS Founder Phenelle Segal, RN, CIC, FAPIC, will be presenting at the Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgical Centers (FSASC) Annual Conference and Trade Show in Orlando on Wednesday, July 14.

Phenelle’s session on “How COVID-19 Has Impacted ASCs: Lessons Learned and Looking Forward” is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. It is described as follows: “COVID-19 has forever changed healthcare and this presentation will highlight ongoing practices in ambulatory surgery centers one year later as we adapt to the ‘new norm.’ Core principles of perioperative infection prevention and lessons learned will be addressed, as we move forward in this everchanging environment.”

To learn more about the event, click here. Attendees interested in arranging an on-site meeting with Phenelle should contact ICCS.

ICCS Infection Prevention & Control Newsletter: May 2021

This issue covers some of the most significant news from May. Topics include Joint Commission standards, vaccinate mandate, nursing home and SNF surveys, SHEA guidance, and antibiotic stewardship.

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Joint Commission Infection Control Standards Among the Most Challenging in 2020 — The Joint Commission issued its top 5 most challenging requirements for 2020. Once again appearing on multiple programs' lists: infection control standards.

Phenelle Segal on the Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Conundrum — Read the position of ICCS Founder Phenelle Segal on this widely debated topic.

Pandemic Reawakens Urgency About Infection Control and Prevention — ICCS's Phenelle Segal is one of the sources featured in this Nurse.com article on the pandemic's effects on infection control and prevention.

Skilled Nursing Facility Surveys Skyrocket During Pandemic — Federal data indicates the number of surveys conducted nationwide has risen 132% since 2020 and there has been a "dramatic increase" in infection control surveys and more immediate jeopardy-level citations.

'High Stakes' as Providers Still Face Brisk Infection Control Surveys, Brace for Return of Standard Inspections — An analysis shows that when nursing homes are dinged for infection-related deficiencies, they are facing stiffer penalties than they do on typical surveys.

Healthcare Personnel Must Continue SARS-CoV-2 Prevention, Even as Community Guidelines Relax — Sound guidance from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

Cleveland Clinic Finds 99.7% of Caregivers Who've Recently Tested Positive for Covid-19 Weren't Fully Vaccinated — Powerful data reinforces the effectiveness of vaccines for preventing symptomatic infections, severe illnesses, and hospitalizations.

AAP: Masks Encouraged for Camp, Child Care, School to Prevent COVID-19 — The American Academy of Pediatrics issued updated COVID-19 clinical interim guidance.

Implementation of Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship in Nursing Homes — Nursing homes reported substantial progress in antibiotic stewardship implementation from 2016 to 2018.

Veterinarians' Smartphones, Tablets Contaminated With Staphylococci — New research shows the importance of cleaning smartphones and tablets regardless of whether you're caring for people or animals.

Phenelle Segal on the Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Conundrum

In response to the ongoing debate about whether healthcare workers should be mandated to take the COVID-19 vaccine, Phenelle Segal, RN, CIC, FAPIC, president and founder of Infection Control Consulting Services (ICCS), states the following:

"Since COVID-19 emerged, ICCS has focused significantly on supporting nursing homes.  While I believe there is merit to the COVID-19 vaccine being mandated, I understand why nursing homes are not yet taking those steps. It is a complex situation as I have learned from engaging in conversation with administrators.

"There is a critical shortage of nursing staff, particularly aides. When staff is lacking, care may be compromised. This is magnified in the COVID environment. Mandating the vaccine may drive staff away from the nursing homes, making recruitment and retention more difficult. While we have seen numerous employees continue to test positive, especially those unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, the highly successful vaccination of the elderly, particularly those in nursing homes, is resulting in a significantly lower incidence of illness and positivity among residents. Fully vaccinated staff are mostly asymptomatic. A significant sign of vaccine success is the overall lack of disease that leads to hospitalization and death in the elderly.

"Several factors contribute to vaccine hesitancy, including lack of understanding and education. Focusing efforts on educating the staff about the value of the vaccine for them personally as well as the residents is paramount.

"A higher priority in nursing homes should be performing infection control and prevention processes correctly. These practices ultimately keep residents safe during pandemic and non-pandemic times."